2019 Mercedes-AMG GT Black Series spy shots and video

Mercedes-AMG’s GT R has just reached showrooms in the United States, but a bigger, badder and presumably faster version of the Affalterbach tuner’s standalone sports car has been spotted testing at the Nürburgring and on some surrounding streets.

The car looks like the GT R, but there are clues that suggest we’re looking a test mule for something even more hardcore. We’re talking about a GT Black Series, a car AMG boss Tobias Moers has said will be ready for sale in 2018. This means we’ll likely see it introduced as a 2019 model.

Developing a Black Series model isn’t just about dialing up the juice. Some readers will recall that the SLS AMG Black Series actually had less torque than the standard model.

If we were to hazard a guess, expect aerodynamic enhancements, weight reduction, race-bred suspension, and a suitably angrier look. The car in the latest spy shots features a roll cage and a lightweight, plexiglass rear windshield.

If you look closely, you’ll also notice the central exhaust pipe normally found on the GT R has been removed. Instead, there are two exhaust pipes, one on either side. They’re hidden behind the diffuser. Such a design is common to AMG’s GT4 racecar.

Under the hood will be the familiar 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V-8. It delivers 603 horsepower and 664 pound-feet in the latest E63 and S63 super sedans, and such an output should be more than adequate to fling about the GT Black Series. The GT R is one of the fastest rear-wheel-drive production cars around the ‘Ring, and it only has 577 hp and 516 lb-ft of torque.

In the car’s crosshairs will be Porsche’s new 911 GT2 RS. Pretty much every other 911 variant is outclassed by the GT R, so we wouldn’t be surprised if the GT Black Series has what it takes to dethrone the flagship 911. Ferrari’s hardcore 488 will also be a target.